Summary: In the first Avengers movie, Loki implied that he could wield the Tesseract. I say we give him the opportunity. AU for Infinity War, following the revised adventures of Loki and Thor. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I am in no competition with Marvel or Disney for ownership. If I owned these characters, I clearly would have done things differently.
Author's Note: With this story being so heavily focused on Loki and Thor (and being told from Loki's perspective), I'm shamelessly glossing over a lot of other characters and storylines - including the highly anticipated reunion between Tony and Steve. That's going to be a BIG moment, and I just don't feel I could do it justice in this story, so I'm not even going to try. However, we will see Doctor Strange become a much bigger part of the plot, beginning with this chapter. I was going to wait until tomorrow for this, but I had a rough day at work, and posting a new chapter makes me feel better about life, the universe, and everything. Enjoy!
Space and Time
Chapter 6
A slew of introductions took place upon their return to Earth, finally giving names to the many faces Loki did not recognize. Young King T'Challa of Wakanda welcomed his eccentric visitors with admirable poise, and the only thing more difficult than convincing all of them to accept Loki's presence was persuading Stark and Rogers to be in the same room together. The rest of the Avengers were tackling that problem now, trying to coax a harmonious coexistence between a feral cat and a rabid dog. Loki was only too happy to leave them to it.
In the meantime, Doctor Strange approached him with the proposition of slipping away to Sanctum Sanctorum to study the Aether together. Loki thought that a marvelous idea, but when Thor expressed a desire to go with them, he objected.
"You would be much better served staying here and helping with the battle preparations," he reasoned. "Or you could actually get some rest, for a change!"
Thor pouted yet obliged, much to Loki's relief.
"I don't suppose you dabble in potions much?" he asked Strange as the two of them were about to depart.
"Not particularly." The wizard raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Why?"
"Because I would very much like to brew a sleeping concoction for my pig-headed brother before Thanos arrives, but without the proper ingredients, it's only wishful thinking."
"In that case, sorry, I can't help you. Do you really think he would drink it?"
"Gracious, no!" Loki scoffed. "I would have to trick him into doing so – not that it would be difficult. I've done as much many times in the past."
Amusement glinted in the man's eyes as he drew up a portal for them. "Come on. I promise we'll have plenty of time to figure out the Reality Stone back at the Sanctum."
The Time Stone turned one hour of research and experimentation into ten, yet in the end, the two sorcerers were no nearer to unlocking the potential of the Aether.
Loki rubbed at his tired eyes and commented, for lack of anything better, "You do have an impressive library here, Stephen, despite its being restricted to a single realm. It was awfully generous of you to bring me here, considering how our first meeting went. I'm surprised you trust me."
"When did I ever say that I did?" Strange challenged. "I only trust that you deem helping us to be in your best interest – and your brother's – for the time being."
"That's very perceptive of you. I'm certainly not here for any charitable purpose."
"Obviously. So you should know right now that if you show any sign of undermining our cause, I will not hesitate to send you falling again for the rest of your miserable existence."
The Trickster actually smiled at that. "How refreshing to hear you say so. Now that Thor seems to trust me unreservedly again, my mischief is going through a bit of an identity crisis. Your continued threats and suspicion are most invigorating."
"Really, an identity crisis?" Strange reiterated blandly. "Spare me the drama, you're as bad as Stark. Let's just start from the beginning again and take another logical walk through what we know about this Reality Stone."
Loki let out a heavy sigh but did as asked. Frustrating as it may be, they didn't have many alternatives.
"The Aether is unique in that it is fluid by nature and therefore arguably the most difficult Infinity Stone to control; in many ways, it operates as an independent entity with a will of its own. For all its potential, it is also exceedingly dangerous. To alter reality is its intended purpose, but that is a subtle, difficult work which we may not be able to fully achieve. I believe only Thanos' Gauntlet could condense it into a Stone for most effective use."
"And without that Gauntlet, what other options do we have?"
"Not many, as the last ten hours have proven," the Jotun admitted grimly. "We would have to use it as Malekith did a few years ago – by offering up an inherently powerful host who also possesses sufficient magic to direct it. That would at least allow us to use the Reality Stone as a weapon…but any such host would eventually be consumed, once he or she had no strength left for the Aether to take. It grants immense power in exchange for the life force of the host."
Strange stood and began pacing. "Is there no way to withdraw it after the fact?"
Loki shook his head slowly. "None that I know of; not even Odin could pull it from Jane Foster when she was its host. Malekith was able to do so, but I suspect his genetic makeup as a Dark Elf made him more attuned to the Aether. It probably would have destroyed him too, in the end."
"Hypothetically," the mortal stated cautiously. "If we were desperate enough to consider going that route…who among our allies might be potential hosts?"
Loki threw his head back and laughed outright, not caring that he probably sounded mad. "Oh Stephen, it was inevitable that we should arrive here, was it not? Although Wanda Maximoff has formidable power derived from the Mind Stone, it is not compatible with the Reality Stone. She lacks the magic required for such a task; not even Thor, with all his elemental might, could command it. The Aether will inhabit anyone and lash out to protect its host; but of our allies, I believe only a sorcerer such as you or I could actually wield it with intention."
Strange ceased his pacing, although the magical cloak on his shoulders continued to twitch nervously. "My first concern is the Time Stone, and there's no telling how the Reality Stone might jeopardize or interfere with my use of it."
"Indeed," Loki concurred. "Should things go poorly for us, the Time Stone may very well prove invaluable; we cannot risk hindering your abilities with it. There's no denying I am the obvious choice for a host – but that doesn't mean I'm offering to commit suicide."
"Wait!" Strange exclaimed suddenly. "I have an idea. What if I could reverse Time on the Reality Stone after the battle, to bring it back to when it was still contained in this vessel? Would that change things?"
Almost against his will, the Trickster felt a fragile flicker of hope spring to life inside him. "That depends. Could you do it?"
"I can find out."
Moments later, the man sat cross-legged on the floor with the Time Stone glowing green around his neck. He had said he would go into the future to view possible conclusions, and even for Loki with his understanding of magic, it was an unnerving thing to witness from the outside. Strange's body twitched, and his face contorted as he passed from present into future and back again. Over and over and over…
Eventually, the Jotun diverted his attention to the Reality Stone where it sat cradled in his lap. "It's ironic, isn't it?" he mused quietly. "All this time, I worried about the Tesseract coming back to haunt me; now I realize I should have given more thought to you."
When Strange finally returned to the present for good, he slumped over with exhaustion, and Loki reflexively grasped him by the shoulders to prevent him from falling.
"What did you see?" he asked, half-dreading the answer.
The overwhelmed sorcerer shook his head as though to settle his jumbled thoughts. "I saw millions of possible outcomes," he reported around his labored breathing. "At this point, any scenario where we win has the Reality Stone inside you – as do plenty where we lose."
Loki's blood ran cold in a way that had nothing to do with his heritage. "And did you see if you could remove it afterward, by use of the Time Stone?"
"I saw some instances where we could, and just as many where we could not. With so many other variables at play, it's impossible to know which outcome we'll get if we let it have you."
"Still, it sounds like a sporting chance, which is more than I was willing to give myself just a few minutes ago."
The prince weighed his options, processing the latest information. Nothing was guaranteed – neither victory nor defeat, neither life nor death. If it were Thor's life at stake, he wouldn't risk it; but his own life…that just might be worth the gamble. A gamble he alone could take.
He thought of his own torment, of his own screams, back in that cold, heartless space between the worlds, while the Mad Titan looked on in approval. He thought of his brother, slowly succumbing to the agonizing touch of the Power Stone – and suddenly he didn't need to think any further.
"I'll do it."
Strange blinked in genuine surprise. "What? Are you sure?"
"Would I have said as much, if I didn't mean it?"
"Possibly, given your reputation as the God of Lies. I didn't expect you to reach a decision so quickly; you don't strike me as the heroic type."
"You mean a sentimental fool like Thor?" Loki snorted derisively. "Of course not; I never have been. Just do us all a favor and don't tell him there's a chance you might not be able to remove it."
"And if it turns out I can't?"
He clenched his fists, still trying to convince himself of what must be true. "If my life is forfeit, it is a small price to pay for the end of Thanos." And the preservation of Thor.
Strange smiled knowingly. "Now I see why you didn't want your brother here with us. He would never approve of this."
"I don't need his 'approval' for anything!" Anger flashed like green fire in Loki's eyes, but it faded quickly. "Presuming Thanos doesn't kill me first, my only regret, if this fails, is that Thor will have to watch me die…and mourn me…once again."
"I promise you, I will do everything in my power to make sure it doesn't come to that."
The earnestness of those words touched him, and Loki nodded serenely. "That's very kind of you, Stephen, and I naturally wish you every success; nevertheless, the risks are what they are. Let's get to it."
With Strange on the far side of the room, hopefully at a "safe" distance, Loki drew a deep breath and released the Reality Stone's holding device. It gushed through the slightest opening like a torrent breaking free of a dam, startling Loki so that he dropped the vessel. Thank the Norns, it didn't shatter! They would need that at the conclusion of this experiment…regardless of how it ended.
The Aether vanished against his flesh in an instant, and a flash of red, searing pain drove him to his hands and knees. He clamped his eyes shut against it with a cry, barely clinging to consciousness while the Aether warred and raged against his own magic. His head swam dizzyingly, and he couldn't breathe! At last, the two forces came to terms and balanced out inside him, although he knew the scales would tip a little further in favor of the Stone with each passing day.
He remained crouched on the floor, gasping to catch his breath as the anguish subsided, and all too keenly aware of the fresh power shimmering under his skin. When finally he opened his eyes, all light had dimmed and become tinged with scarlet – reminiscent of the times he'd gazed through his true Jotun sight.
He clumsily sought to get his legs underneath him, feeling as graceful as a newborn colt. Something soft and supple was helping him to rise, supporting him. It was Strange's cloak. The man himself still stood off to one side, looking anxious but wary of touching or even approaching the Aether's new host. It was probably wise of him.
It took Loki a few moments longer to become steady on his own two feet, even with the cape's assistance. The garment dutifully returned to its master once he was stable.
"How do you feel?"
"Like one of Thor's lightning blasts, right before it leaves his fingers."
Strange approached him slowly, still leery of any violent outbursts. "Is it safe to rejoin the others?"
"I don't see why not; I feel the Aether is quite content inside me. Only remember, as far as Thor need know, there will be no difficulty whatsoever getting it out of me afterward."
The look on Strange's face said that was going to go over well. "Right – because what could possibly go wrong?"